Saturday, November 28, 2015

Before delving deep into the importance of Vitamin B12 for your dog it is important to understand what this Vitamin B12 actually is, and why many well maintained dogs may suffer a deficiency of this Vitamin, and finally and most significantly how this deficiency affects your dog.

What is Vitamin B12?

One of the eight B Vitamins, Vitamin B12 (Empirical formula = C63H88O14N14PCo, also known as "Cobalamin") is water soluble complex chemical that supports the normal functioning of nervous system and brain. Another major role of Cobalamin is blood formation, which prevents anemia. It is one of the most essential vitamins that promote cardiac health, and breaks down the homocysteine, a non-protein α-amino acid associated with blood vessel and heart ailments. Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) has different chemical forms, and not all of them work equally good for dogs. Vitamin B12 can come in forms: Cyanocobalamin, Hydroxocobalmin, Methylcobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin.

Methylcobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin, which are naturally occurring and active forms of vitamin B12, are important for your dog's health. However, Methylcobalamin (mecobalamin, MeCbl, also denoted as MeB12) is the most active and easily absorbable form of vitamin B12, which makes it the best choice to treat B12 Vitamin deficiency in dogs in shortest possible time.

Where Does a Dog's Body Store Vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is mainly stored in the dog's liver, while other storage organs are brain, heart, kidney and spleen.

How Does Vitamin B12 Deficiency Occur in dogs?

EPI dogs (Dogs with Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) tends develop tendencies of digestion disorders, due to malfunctioning of pancreas, and lack of secretion of digestive enzymes. Studies one different species have shown that defective gastric juice secretion process is one most common cause of food-vitamin B12 malabsorption. The continuous, incomplete digestion results in the presence of fermented food in the small intestine, which leads to build-up of harmful bacteria. The condition is known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). Overgrowth of this bacteria eventually leads to B12 deficiency. This harmful bacteria binds the vitamins and leading to its unavailability for absorption and the dog eventually suffers from severe deficiency of B12 vitamins.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) deficiency causes depression, dementia, malabsorption disorders. Genetic defects in Vitamin B12 absorption is another reason, common in many dogs resulting from unscientific breeding. Hereditary selective cobalamin malabsorption in dogs constitutes one of the most common inherited conditions.

Methylation: Vitamin B12, along with folate and other B-Vitamins positively influences the process of methylation (a key biochemical process that is essentially necessary for the proper function of almost the entire systems of your dog’s body). Methylation builds hormones, proteins, and strengthen DNA, the molecules responsible for carrying the genetic instruction.

Liver detoxification: The liver uses methylation to detoxify substances and filter out the body toxins.

Promotes healthy nervous system: Adequate amount of Vitamin B12 protects the nerve and helps the nervous system to work properly. It maintains a fatty sheaths covering (Myelin – a protein sheath) around the nerve and keeps the nerve healthy and well protected, thus promotes a healthy nervous system.

Prevents brain damage: Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps prevents neurological destruction and prevents the chances of brain damage. A persistent case of Vitamin B12 deficiency in dogs may result in severe and irreversible brain damage.

Prevents metabolic disorders and nutrients malabsorption: Improper digestion, nutrient malabsorption, and metabolic disorder are common consequences associated with Vitamin deficiency in dogs. Addition supplementation of vitamin B12 is needed to avoid exposing you dog to these risks.

Prevents cardiovascular disease: There are evidences that support the role of vitamin B12 + folic acid supplements in lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Persistent deficiency of vitamin B12 has association with the increasing risk of heart problems in dogs.

Dogs that are mostly kept on low quality commercial food and those that are kept only on veggies are prone to the risk of cobalamin deficiency.

Some of the dog friendly human foods that are rich, natural source of vitamin B12 are liver, brain, kidneys. Then eggs. Then cheese.

Beef livers and lamb livers should be the prime preferences if you are looking for natural cobalamin rich food for your dog. However chicken livers and gizzards can also make a great addition to dog’s diet.

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All you need to know about German Shepherd Dogs. Read out what I have to share with you regarding the amazing German Shepherd Dog breed. Are Alsatian dogs and German Shepherd Dogs same? Who was Max Von Stephanitz and What is SV? Also learn a bit more in depth on German Shepherd Dog training tips, German Shepherd puppy care tips, German Shepherd Dog behavior, German Shepherd instinct, German Shepherd Dog standard and history of German Shepherds.